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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kannukkulle Kadhala

From Thamizh · 2002

Lyricists
Not listed
Singers
Unnikrishnan, Swarnalatha
Music director
Bharathwaj
Details
Thamizh2002

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kannukullae kaadhalaIs love inside the eyes?
Kandadhum nenjil thendralaIs it a gentle breeze in the heart upon seeing you?
Ennai yedho seigiraaiYou are doing something to me,
Ennil yedho koigiraaiYou are stirring something deep within me.
Mana vayal engum indruAcross the entire field of my mind today,
Mogha mazhai peigiraaiYou rain down a shower of desire.
Ennai konjam sellamaagaYou affectionately hold me,
Nenjukkullae vaigiraaiAnd place me gently inside your heart.
Female
Naanghu kangal ulladhaeThough there are four eyes between us,
Un kaadhal ondru dhaanYour love is the only true one.
Male :Kandukonden naanum adhaiMale: I too realized that,
Unnaal indru dhaanOnly today because of you.
Male
Kannukullae kaadhalaIs love inside the eyes?
Kandadhum nenjil thendrala…aaa….Is it a gentle breeze in the heart upon seeing you?
Male
Oorarindha seidhiIt is news known to everyone in town,
Kaadhal uyirai vaangum vyaadhiThat love is a disease that steals one's life.
Adhai varumun thadukkumTo prevent it before it strikes,
Thaduppu oosi ulagil illaiyaeThere is no vaccine in this world.
Male
Unnai patri paadaTo sing praise about you,
Thamizhil enghu vaarthai thedaWhere can I search for words in Tamil?
Adhan padhinettu meiyumIts eighteen consonants,
Panniru uyirum podhaadhallavaAnd twelve vowels are not enough, are they?
Male
Nee aasai mozhiyinIn the language of desire, you are,
Nagha kann dhaanLike the delicate edge of a fingernail.
Nee nagarndhaalIf you make a move,
Nagarum nagaram dhaanThe whole city moves along.
Female
Nee aangal jaadhiyilAmong the male kind,
Saivam dhaanYou are purely simple and vegetarian.
Un asaivaal naanaeYet by your slight sway,
Asaivam dhaanI turn into a non-vegetarian passion.
Male
Thalaikerum bodhaiAn intoxication that rushes to the head,
Thadumaarum pennaeO intoxicating woman who stumbles!
Male
Kannukullae kaadhalaIs love inside the eyes?
Kandadhum nenjil thendrala…aaa….Is it a gentle breeze in the heart upon seeing you?
Chorus
……………………………....
Male
Kaaval nilayam sendruGoing to the police station,
Thookam kalavu pochu endruTo complain that sleep has been stolen,
En vizhigal irandumBoth my eyes would,
Yaar yaar meedhoo kutram saatumaeFalsely accuse various people.
Male
Unnai patri mellaTo slowly spy,
Naan dhaan ulavu paarthu sollaAnd inform about you,
Adi unnai pidithu kaaval thurai dhaanHey girl, the police force itself,
Koondil yetrumaeWill put you in the witness box!
Male
En imaiyai medhuvaaiDo not gently caress,
VarudaadhaeMy eyelids.
En thuyilai dhinamumDo not steal my sleep,
ThirudaadhaeEvery single day.
Female
Nee vizhiyaal manadhaiWith your eyes,
UzhudhaayaeYou ploughed my heart.
Oru vidhaiyaai neeyaeAnd like a seed,
VizhundhaayaeYou yourself fell into it.
Male
Uyir kaadhal poovaeO precious flower of soul-deep love,
Nee dhaanae vaazhvaeYou alone are my life.
Male
Kannukullae kaadhalaIs love inside the eyes?
Kandadhum nenjil thendrala…aaa….Is it a gentle breeze in the heart upon seeing you?
Ennai yedho seigiraaiYou are doing something to me,
Ennil yedho koigiraaiYou are stirring something deep within me.
Mana vayal engum indruAcross the entire field of my mind today,
Mogha mazhai peigiraaiYou rain down a shower of desire.
Ennai konjam sellamaagaYou affectionately hold me,
Nenjukkullae vaigiraaiAnd place me gently inside your heart.
Female
Naanghu kangal ulladhaeThough there are four eyes between us,
Un kaadhal ondru dhaanYour love is the only true one.
Male :Kandukonden naanum adhaiMale: I too realized that,
Unnaal indru dhaanOnly today because of you.
Male
Kannukullae kaadhalaIs love inside the eyes?
Kandadhum nenjil thendrala..Is it a gentle breeze in the heart upon seeing you?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Kannukkulle Kaadhala is a melodious duet from the 2002 Tamil film 'Thamizh', featuring music composed by Bharadwaj and lyrics written by Vairamuthu. The song vividly illustrates the tender, overwhelming feeling of falling in love. The lovers describe love as a gentle breeze in the heart and compare it to an incurable yet delightful affliction for which no vaccine exists in the world. Using inventive imagery and playful Tamil linguistic metaphors—such as referencing the 18 consonants and 12 vowels of the Tamil language, as well as agricultural metaphors of ploughing the mind and planting seeds—the song captures how romantic affection reshapes reality, stealing sleep and completely captivating the senses of both lovers.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Mana vayal engum indru / Mogha mazhai peigiraai

Compares the human mind to an agricultural field ('mana vayal') and romantic desire to a downpour of rain ('mogha mazhai').

Wordplay / Pun (Sleidai)

Nee aangal jaadhiyil saivam dhaan / Un asaivaal naanae asaivam dhaan

Plays on 'saivam' (vegetarian/pious) and 'asaivam' (non-vegetarian) alongside 'asaivu' (movement), contrasting temperamental purity with physical allure.

Linguistic Imagery / Allusion

Adhan padhinettu meiyum / Panniru uyirum podhaadhallava

References Tamil grammar concepts—18 consonants ('padhinettu mei') and 12 vowels ('panniru uyir')—to emphasize that ordinary language fails to describe the beloved.

Agricultural Metaphor

Nee vizhiyaal manadhai uzhudhaayae / Oru vidhaiyaai neeyae vizhundhaayae

Depicts love as an agricultural process where a glance acts as a plough and the lover becomes a seed planted inside the heart.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

En imaiyai medhuvaai varudaadhae / En thuyilai dhinamum thirudaadhae

Uses rhyming verb endings ('varudaadhae' / 'thirudaadhae') to establish a rhythmic musical cadence across lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Thamizh' (2002) marked the directorial debut of blockbuster filmmaker Hari and starred Prashanth alongside Simran. The soundtrack was composed by Bharadwaj with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu. The song 'Kannukkulle Kaadhala' became widely admired for Vairamuthu's creative inclusion of Tamil alphabetic rules ('Uyir Ezhuthu' and 'Mei Ezhuthu') within romantic poetry, playful lyrics.

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